Standard front axle versus Row Crop.

Bill Brox

Member
Hi,

Is it anyone who can explain to me the benefits of a Row Crop tractor compared to a standard front axle. I mean, what do you gain with it, and what can a Standard front axle not work with ?

And, why did the Row Crop tractors disappear ?



Bill
 
Row crop benefits: Turn shorter (some will argue this), Only need to change wheel spacing on rear axle when switching from plowing to cultivating, less effort to turn the steering wheel.

Can't use a wide front with a two row mounted corn picker or most front mounted cultivators.

I am guessing power steering was one of the main reasons row crops vanished.
 
(quoted from post at 20:14:44 09/05/17) Row crop benefits: Turn shorter (some will argue this), Only need to change wheel spacing on rear axle when switching from plowing to cultivating, less effort to turn the steering wheel.

Can't use a wide front with a two row mounted corn picker or most front mounted cultivators.

I am guessing power steering was one of the main reasons row crops vanished.

I can understand that it can turn shorter. I mean, on a wide front axle there is more or less so much you can turn the wheels, but on a row crop I guess at least in theory you could turn them 360 degrees.

The only implement I am familiar with that has been mounted in front of the rear wheels is side mounted mowers. They were popular in Norway at some point.
Would you say front mounted cultivators are easier to use than rear mounted ? I mean you can watch them without hurting your neck :D
 
Yes, I think front cultivators were much preferred to operate. On the flip-side, few if any enjoyed attaching them to the tractor.
 
Our old Farmall B has the planter mounted to it, once we got it all on, it stayed on. If you have the track width of the tractor set for the row spacing along with the stabilizers for the 3 point set, the 3 point cultivator works just as good.
 
Row crop: two row corn picker, rear mounted mower turn shorter, cultivation
Also much easier to turn over with front end loader or on a hill side, in mud they would push up the mud faster and you would be stuck,

I had a D14 AC with front cultivator wide front, worked great, much easier to see row, yes harder to install than 3 pt hitch,

Almost no one cultivates high acreage crops anymore so narrow front has gone the way of the dinosaurs, however some people still love them
and will pay top dollar for a good one, most dealerships have a hard time selling them,
Just my two cents
 
Don't forget how much easier it is to back up a four wheel wagon with the narrow front end tractor. At least that worked for me.
 
In this area a row crop tractor is one with adjustable wheel spacing on both axles,
whereas a standard tractor has a solid front axle and no adjustment on the rear axle.
Narrow front wheels are referred to as tricycle or just narrow fronts. The row crop
tractors with wide fronts were more stable and a bit more suitable for heavy mounted
equipment such as saddle tanks for spraying. I also feel that the wide fronts allowed
for higher field speeds in rougher conditions. In the day, narrow fronts certainly
had their place, just as standard tread tractors are very scarce today. Ben
 
As was mentioned earlier, the narrow front tractors really help maneuver 4 wheel wagons easier and faster, especially when backing them up. We have some silos in close quarters that are offset. The narrow front allows us to get the front of the tractor a lot closer to the blower when pulling the wagons in to unload, which helps get wagon in place over the blower inlet a lot easier. Helps back them out a lot easier too.
 
A wide front turns much easier than a tricycle. Tricycle fronts are much less stable. Once there were no need for front mount equipment no need for tricycle fronts.
 

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